Blind
by Itachiforever342
Summary: A young woman comes across a collapsed body in a village where the rain never ceases... Will this meeting bring about the end of her life as she knows it?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

It seems like forever since I posted a Naruto fic, but since I've never done a pairing with this character, I want to try this out! Hurray for experiments!**  
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**Blind**

Utena yawned as she stretched, walking through Amegakure no Sato, which was what her family name originated from, Ametamago. The constant rain didn't bug her, having had lived there throughout her life. Her eyes were halfway closed in weariness and boredom. She couldn't wait to get home and take a nap, even though it wasn't even noon yet. She'd just gotten back from a shift at Lord Pain's tower, carrying a rather heavy corpse in by herself. She didn't know what it was needed for, but she was pleased to serve Lord Pain, the god of the village.

The sound of something relatively heavy falling to the soaked pavement interrupted the constant pattering of the precipitation and she looked up. In front of her, about twenty feet, was a body. It was male, with long, about mid-back length, hair, dark from the wetness, pale skin, wearing a black cloak with red clouds. She glanced around quickly for any witnesses before approaching the prone figure. Crouching down, she reached out slightly, her other hand in her weapons pouch, just in case he was a ninja. She drew back the hair, to reveal a rather aristocratic-looking face, well-bred, but sallow-looking, as if he hadn't eaten in months. Dark shadows were under his closed eyes, stress lines under those. It was slight, but he was shivering as well, so she checked him for weapons, finding many on his person. He was a ninja, that was certain, but why had he collapsed in the middle of a ninja village?

Leaving herself to question this situation once she was at a safer location, she took his arm and hoisted him so he was on his knees before leaping through the rain, not stopping until she reached her apartment, which was quite high in the tower complex, although not nearly as high as Lord Pain's tower. She opened the door with her key and walked in with a little trouble, since her apartment was rather tiny, the entryway hardly big enough to fit her and her unexpected burden. Grunting a little, she hauled him to her bedroom, lying him on her bed (his wet cloak soaked the dry sheets) and beginning to take off his cloak. It was quite well-made, considering he seemed to be a rogue (he was missing his hitae-ate), it was thick and would usually fend off anything, but he'd probably been wandering through Ame no Kuni for quite a while for this to have been penetrated with the continuous rain. She took it and hung it up in her bathroom, over the bathtub, so it would drip off as much as possible before she used other methods to dry it. She then returned to her bedroom, only to find his eyes were open, albeit halfway.

At the sound of her footsteps, as soft as they were, he sat up, reaching to his empty weapons pouch. When he found nothing, he began patting himself quickly. His eyes narrowed when he still found nothing.

"I took the liberty of disarming you Sir," she explained, placing a hand on her hip. "I didn't need you attacking me the instant you woke."

His head turned towards her, but his eyes didn't move from their central position. His eyebrows furrowed a little before his face smoothed as he regained his composure at finding her location. "Who are you?"

She shook a finger at him. "That's not very nice, even if you are a ninja. It's proper etiquette to introduce yourself first before demanding someone's name."

His lips pressed in a hard line at her slight demand. He considered for a moment before asking another question. "Where am I?"

"Where are you? Couldn't you tell?" she asked in a sarcastic voice. To prove her point, she slid open the window, the sound of rain falling coming into the room. "Where else does it rain this heavy all the time?"

"I know I'm in Amegakure no Sato," he countered. "I want something more specific."

Utena huffed as she closed the window. "If you can't tell, you _must_ be blind. Do you think a prison cell has carpet, a comfy bed, and other such things?"

His eyes narrowed at her insult to his intelligence but he knew that she was pointing out his ailment at the same time. "How could you tell?"

"Your eyes haven't moved since you opened them. I can also tell that you haven't been blind all your life, or else you'd move better than you have. So, unless you can know my exact location at all times, you can't fight me, and, by your emaciated body, you haven't eaten much in quite some time, if at all, which puts you at a further disadvantage."

"Why would another ninja take in an obvious rogue in this closed-off village?"

"If I'd left you there, you would've died from hypothermia or found by a less-friendly ninja, either way, you wouldn't still be in the world of the living. Pain-sama and Tenshi-sama hate intruders."

At this information he fell silent. While he was thinking, she went to the hall closet and got a change of blankets and sheets. She carried them into her bedroom before announcing, "We need to get you warm, so strip and wrap yourself up in this quilt I have."

He stiffened and stated, "I feel fine."

"I'm not turning the heater up to an expensive temperature so you'll have to do as I say. I can see you shivering. I'm also gonna make hot udon to warm both of us up and maybe some stir-fry. After, you can take a hot shower. Also, I'm not adverse to restraining you and taking your clothes off myself. You're not the first potential naked man I've seen. Besides, you can't tell if I'm looking at you unless I say something anyways. Not shy, are you?"

He frowned before pulling his shirt over his head, letting it fall to the floor with a splat, and she turned away, handing him the quilt when he needed it. When she turned back, he was standing, his wet hair dripping occasionally, especially his bangs that framed his face, wrapped in the quilt. She smiled a little at his obedience and dropped the dry sheets on the floor.

"Thanks. Just stay there while I change the sheets—"

As she passed him, he grabbed her, putting her in a headlock. Her eyes widened at the feel of his chilled skin against the warmth of her own. "What are you doing? I'm only helping you."

"I'll break your neck if you don't tell me exactly what your purpose is in bringing me here."

"I'm a medical ninja, I'm helping because you're not in top form and I'm not particular in who I heal. I've healed rogues in the past so I'm not prejudiced against them."

"You won't turn me in to this 'Pain' or 'Tenshi' while I'm off guard?"

"They probably already know you're here, but if they haven't acted by now, they won't. They don't think of you as a threat."

"Will that change if they sense me getting better?"

"No, if you don't cause any trouble. Now…would you let go please?"

There was a pause then he let her go, allowing her to change the sheets as he rewrapped himself in the warm blanket. She took his wet clothes and the wet sheets to the tiny dryer next to her linens' closet, throwing the load in and putting them on the low-heat cycle, just in case high-heat damaged his clothes. She then went back to him and prompted, "Follow me, the kitchen's this way."

He did so, shadowing her footsteps. It was a short walk then she slid open the wood door to the kitchen/dining room space, where he settled at the table while she cooked the warm meal for them both, his eyes closing at the homey sounds of the stir-fry and the boiling of the udon. She began to hum a little as she prepared each dish, taking out bowls to put the soup and stir-fry in, placing one bowl and a pair of chopsticks in front of him, setting the bowl of stir-fry in the middle of the table and her own bowl of udon and chopsticks on the other side. She knelt and placed her hands together. "Itadakimasu," she murmured then picked up her chopsticks and began to eat her udon first.

He did the same except he ignored the chopsticks and picked up the bowl, beginning to drink the broth first. She watched him do so until the broth was gone, then he picked up his chopsticks and began to fish out the noodles, tempura shrimp and scallions inside the bowl, eating quite messily. It was almost painful to watch. After he dropped his noodles yet again, she moved so she was next to him and took his eating utensils away.

"I'll help you until you get used to eating without your eyes. It hurts to watch you struggle."

He frowned but let her feed him, giving him a generous share of the stir-fry after the udon was gone. She then stood, urging, "Come, you can shower while I clean up. I'll lead you to the bathroom."

He shadowed her again before he admitted, "I am unfamiliar with the layout of your shower, and I've never showered since I've lost my eyesight. I…require aid."

She didn't even blush as she nodded. "All right. Stay here while I prepare. This might be difficult without getting soaked."

Hurrying, she let the dishes soak and washed the table, before getting some towels to help mop things up when the shower was done. As a medical ninja she was professional when she had to do anything to take care of her patients, so she wouldn't allow this to affect her, especially since he was gaunt to the point of being skin and bones, most of his healthy weight leeched off from his time of starvation. She went back to the washroom and took the quilt, folding it neatly and placing it in the hall, then wrapped a towel around his hips, helping him step into the shower.

She washed his shaggy hair first, using normal shampoo and conditioner, not her scented ones, because she knew he wouldn't appreciate smelling like flowers later. She worked all the knots out carefully, commenting, "I'll have to trim this well tomorrow, looks like you haven't had it cut properly in years."

He didn't answer, since she hadn't asked him if he needed a trim. His eyes were closed against the soap suds so they wouldn't hurt them, but he gritted his teeth as she soaped up a sponge and began scrubbing his body, it running everywhere that wasn't toweled on him. He kept still as she washed him, but he needn't have worried, her fingers were thorough but impartial, although they lingered on his bones as they jutted out painfully against his skin. He could tell she was concerned over his extreme low weight, and he didn't even have to see her face to know that. The wordless touches were enough. She finished off by drying him well so she wouldn't have to worry about him catching a cold. She left him for a moment then turned on a hair dryer, and he closed his eyes so she could use it without drying them out. After his hair was acceptably dry, she tied it back to keep it out of the way and then sat him down, probably on the toilet, judging by the temperature. He then felt her take his hand and began to clip his nails.

"I can do my own nails," he insisted, but she didn't relinquish his hand.

"No you can't. Your nails are all jagged from being broken and not clipped right for too long. Until you get used to the right length of your nails, I'll be doing them for you." She then giggled.

"What's so funny?" he demanded with a frown.

"I could paint your nails during this and you wouldn't notice until too late."

"It doesn't bother me. I've done so before."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Before I lost my eyesight, I painted all my nails deep purple. Everyone in the group I was in did in one color or another."

"Okay…that's weird."

He smirked a little at freaking her out.

After that, she went and got the largest robe she had, which would more likely than not fit him. She helped him into it, before leading him back into her bedroom, where she told him, "Lay down."

He did so, and she spread the sheets and quilt over him to keep him warm. She then ordered, "Get some rest, I'll be back in a few," and left the room to finish her chores.

He closed his eyes, listening to her bustle about washing dishes, folding clothes, putting away sheets, using the hair dryer for a long while in the bathroom (she was drying his cloak) and re-entering the room. She undressed and put something lighter on, flipping the covers of the bed down. He tensed a bit at the chill as he murmured, "What are you doing?"

"I have to make sure you warm all the way up, so I have to share body heat to ensure your immediate health," she murmured back, cuddling close and pulling the blankets up past their ears. She relaxed and attempted to fall asleep by slowing her breathing. He began to do the same and was about to drop into slumber when she breathed, "I guess it was really my fault for not introducing myself first…I'm Ametamago Utena."

"Uchiha Itachi."

"That's a nice name…"

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And there's chapter one! I really like this story and hope everyone who reads it does too! :D

Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

Wow! Going to a convention is exhausting! I can hardly keep my eyes open, but here's your new chapter!

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Utena woke to find herself _very_ warm, and instantly found out why. Itachi was curled around her, his arms wrapped securely around her. She blushed a little at the feeling of being enveloped in a man's arms, but shook it off as she looked at the clock. Her eyes widened and she yelped, "I'm gonna be late for my shift!"

She shot out like a cat that had been sprayed with water, dressing in her uniform and gear, grabbing a snack from the fridge and running to the door, before pausing as if someone had frozen her. She saw Itachi just getting up and knew she couldn't leave him here when he was hardly used to the place, he'd probably not have a thing to do and starve himself nearer to death because he didn't know how to cook by himself. She hesitated a moment more before rushing over to Itachi and handing him his clothes.

"You're coming with me, since I can't leave you here to fend for yourself," she ordered, finding her father's extra-large rain cloak in her closet.

"You don't trust me," he stated as he changed.

"It's not a matter of trust, rather that you can't take care of yourself as of yet. I'd rather not find you dead in my apartment when I get back from something or other."

He snorted as she threw the rain cloak over him. He felt it and asked, "Where's my cloak?"

"It's not enough for this rain. This is weather-proof, something you need in your delicate condition. Now come on, I'm going to be late as it is by myself, but I have to lead you all the way to Pain-sama's tower. I'll tell him you're one of my patients I can't leave at the clinic."

"Why not tell him that I'm your cousin or brother?"

"We look _nothing_ alike, no offense."

She was short, lean, long hot pink hair braided to the nape of her neck, the shorter portion that was to her chin free, large electric blue eyes, fair skin. A pair of small portions of her hair curled up higher like a bug's antennae, giving her a more innocent look than her over twenty years and being a ninja who worked for Lord Pain on top of it. She took his hand and led him out, traveling at a fast clip. They passed several food places and her stomach grumbled, but she ignored it, knowing she had a snack to hold her over until lunch. Plus if she needed to, she would get intermittent snacks to help Itachi start gaining weight.

They entered the tower without a second to spare, Utena taking off her cloak and hanging it up, showing her standard, even masculine, ninja uniform, the only thing even slightly feminine was that she tied her slashed Ame hitae-ate like a girl would a headband, to keep her hair out of the way. She walked Itachi to one of the higher floors, Itachi stiffening a little as he recognized the chakra of the two most powerful individuals, knowing this couldn't be a coincidence. She placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him and bowed low.

"Tenshi-sama, I hope you don't mind that I've brought my newest patient along with me."

The blue-haired woman with lavender eyes with a white rose in her hair clad in a black cloak with red clouds shook her head. "Utena, you were almost late for your shift. Pain is waiting for you."

"Would you watch him for me? He's rather fragile at the moment so he'll need several nutritious meals just to jump-start his normal metabolism again."

"I'll make sure he's taken care of."

"Thank you, Tenshi-sama."

Utena walked into the room where Pain was lying down, looking rather ill, even though he still had most of his youthful weight on, he had dark circles under his eyes and he was leaner than what he should be. She got down on one knee and bowed, her head parallel to the floor. "Nagato-sama, I apologize for my tardiness."

He turned his head towards her, his Rinnegan piercing her even though she came here almost every day. An involuntary shiver went down her spine as she waited for his reply.

"Utena. You're right on time, as usual. Come."

She nodded, standing and coming over, raising her hands as a green glow as she sat down on the side of the bed, probing his body. She closed her eyes as she examined his condition, her lips in a flat line as she found he was deteriorating still, even with her treatments. She let her eyelids slide open as she looked on whom she saw as a god straight in his eyes. "You aren't improving, Nagato-sama. I'm sorry that I'm not a strong enough healer."

The pink-haired woman looked away as she raised her hands, only to gasp when he grabbed her wrists. "Utena, look at me."

Her eyes were full of pain as she obeyed. His face was determined as he nodded to her.

"It's time."

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Hmmm...what could Nagato possibly order Utena to do?

Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

What's the Akatsuki's reaction to Itachi's sudden reappearance?

It's here in the new chapter!

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Itachi wasn't surprised when "Lady Tenshi" approached him.

"Itachi, I thought you had died."

"I traded my eyesight for freedom from my old life, Konan. It was chance that I encountered that woman that brought me here."

"She is the special medic Leader has appointed to help with certain things around here. She should be in there for several hours until her shift is over."

"Does she even stop to eat?"

"Of course, but Leader has food brought to her. As per her request, you will have food brought to you as well. You must've not eaten since you freed yourself."

"I've only had dinner last night. It wasn't very filling, even if she gave me quite a bit."

"I'll have several meals brought to you by the time she reemerges. I know you have the appetite of a black hole, even when you're healthy. You ought to tell her so."

"It might come up at a later date."

"Until next time, I must go."

"Goodbye, Konan."

"Goodbye, Itachi."

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Pretty calm, huh? Itachi's useless to them, so they leave him alone. I wish it was that easy in real life too!

Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

I do wonder if I should warn people if they haven't reached the part of Shippuden that this deviates from... *shrugs and throws idea aside* Nah!

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Several hours did pass until Utena came out, looking exhausted. Konan nodded to her and asked, "Was everything normal?"

"Yes. I shall return at a later date."

"Pain has given you some time off?"

"He has, which I fully intend to use."

Utena came over to Itachi and he stood at her approach. She took his hand and led him out, only stopping to retrieve her cloak. She smiled a little through her sadness, she knew she'd see Nagato again, even though it was very likely he'd be on a mission right after that. The troublesome Kyubi Jinchuriki was yet to be extracted and he would need to go to its safe haven to snare it. It was stupid that that boy had so much luck, but that was how things worked. Fate seemed to be on that Konoha ninjas' side, and not Nagato's. It probably wasn't going to end well, although she hoped Konan would be able to have a good life afterwards.

She sighed as she entered her apartment, Itachi stepping out of his shoes as she followed suit, taking her rain cloak off and hanging it for it to dry, doing the same for him. They stepped through the halls to her room, where she took off her gear, breathing a little before going to the kitchen to fix dinner.

"What services do you provide for Pain-sama?" he asked, standing in the doorway.

"I heal him when needed. His health is more fragile than yours and only getting worse," she explained, looking at the calendar as she worked, going quicker than before. "The rate of deterioration is terrible but there's nothing I can do, believe me, I've tried."

She fixed a larger amount of food, seeing as she knew he wouldn't throw up now that he'd had several meals without any trouble. In fact, he looked a little better already, which was rather odd. His metabolism was that high that it was already reacting to the food in his system? Perhaps her estimate on his recovery time was off by several months. She fixed everything and placed it on the table, sitting next to him so she could feed him properly. He accepted her actions without complaint, which she appreciated. The meal was quiet, a companionable silence that both liked.

When it finished, she stood, picking up all the dishes to wash them. Itachi stood and spoke, which startled her a little after the long silence.

"Should I rest some now?"

"You should if you're feeling tired. It shouldn't be too long until I'm finished here so I'll check on you then."

He went to the bedroom and she washed the dishes in complete silence, not even humming as she did the task. She glanced at the calendar again, nodding to herself and speeding up her dishwashing. She gritted her teeth before going to the bathroom, taking out an injection kit and preparing it, her eyes squeezing shut as she stabbed herself, panting a little before slipping down her pants and doing it again in a different spot. She then took out a larger syringe and her eyes narrowed in discomfort as she emptied it inside of her as well. She made a slight smile before going to the bedroom, feeling a little feverish after those injections.

When she lay down next to him, he felt her extra warmth and asked, "Are you ill?"

"No, I'm fine. You just rest and recover, don't worry about me."

He nodded, even though he narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

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Any guesses for what she's done to herself? There was a couple clues, but if they're too vague, it'll be clearer in the future, promise!

Please review!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, which means you can't sue me for moneys I'll probably never acquire!

Compared to most of the others, this is actually a decent-sized chapter, so enjoy!

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She was fine in the morning, actually singing softly as she made a simple breakfast.

(Insert Orikasa Fumiko [Rukia Kuchiki] - Echo)

Itachi stopped at the doorway when he heard the words of her song, his eyes wide. Not only was the song meaningful, but her voice was rather soothing, even if she was off-key. That was the only flaw she had, and he could tell she didn't notice. He wondered why she sang such a thing to herself, unless she did so randomly. He came in and she looked up, seeing that he'd gotten here without having to shadow her footsteps. She smiled and greeted, "Good morning."

"Good morning," he greeted in return, before questioning her. "What was that song you were singing when I came in?"

"Oh, it's just a tune I heard off the radio. It's called 'Echo'."

"You have radio waves here? I thought you were cut off from all communications."

"I heard it when I was working once in Pain-sama's tower. He gets good reception there."

"With how tall it is, I could believe that. Do you get fair reception?"

"Not really. If I do get a station that's not filled with white noise, it usually isn't one I like. The rain often messes with everything. Pain-sama doesn't like to listen to the radio, but lets me while I work."

She finished cooking and set down the breakfast on the table, more generous portions on Itachi's side. She fed him carefully first, before feeding herself. She placed a hand on her stomach when she finished, probing with her chakra.

"What are you doing?" he asked, sensing her usage of chakra, but not on him.

"Nothing much, just making sure my food digests properly," she lied flippantly, waving her hand a little. "Maybe I should check you as well."

He shrugged and sat still as she checked him over. Her brow furrowed a little as she examined him just as she had Nagato, but instead of deterioration, she saw steady improvement of his health. It was only the third day since she'd been taking care of him, too. Perhaps she should up his food intake and see if that helped him further, but then she'd have to go buy groceries more often, and that would push on her bi-weekly salary, which was odd for a ninja, but Nagato gave her because she wasn't always able to come to him when he was busy or she needed rest from using so much chakra in one sitting. She took her hands away and looked up at him in awe. He had such a high healing rate, was he even a normal ninja?

"What are you, a freak? You're gaining your healthy weight back at an alarming rate. How are you doing it?"

"I've always had a high metabolism. To keep this up I should eat once every couple of hours or else it'll slow."

She sighed and rubbed her hands through her bangs, shaking her head. What was she going to do? Was he virtually a black hole when it came to his stomach? It was kinda freaky in a way, but cool in others. There aren't many who had this kind of appetite yet kept thin. She snickered a little as she got up. This would prove interesting in the long run, if he decided to stay here. That and the fact that he was rapidly improving on getting around on his own in her apartment, she would have to race to keep up with him.

He got up with her, following her as she went to her room, where she got out a civilian outfit and changed into it. She then snapped her fingers. "I remember what I was going to do today! Come with me!"

He was confused, but did so, only to be sat in a chair and a sheet put over his torso, his hair let down. She lifted a lock of his hair, humming a little before she nodded. "That should be about right."

The snipping of scissors made him remember that she'd owed him a trim. She was rather quick with her hands, showing she was no stranger to blades, being a ninja. It also showed she was very good as a medical ninja, perhaps even a surgeon. She swept up with a flourish and let him up, putting the sheet into the laundry basket to be washed. She looked at him with neater hair and thought about how he looked with his hair down, rather than tied back.

"Hmmm…which do you like better, tied back, or free?"

He instantly replied, "Tied back."

"Okay, here."

She gave him a hair tie and he did his hair like he usually did: a loose ponytail at the base of his neck. He followed her as she picked up her purse and went to the door, putting on her thigh-high boots, which were waterproof (everything had to be in Amegakure no Sato) and she put on her rain cloak. He put on his, and asked, "Are we going out for a particular reason?"

"Not really, maybe I'll find a good deal on rice or miso or something. Well, if you are so curious, I'm showing you around some so you can perhaps run errands for me in the future while you're still recovering."

"You're in an odd mood today, considering after your shift was over you were silent."

"Most people say I have one mood per day, which isn't true, but I do vary in moods each day. It all matters on what happens during it. Today I'm feeling perky."

"Is there any real reason for this mood?"

"Things are going well and there's nothing really troubling on the horizon. By the way, are you gonna ever talk about yourself?"

"Why?"

"I helped you, I've told you a few things about myself, I'm providing for you, the least you can do is supply good conversation. For instance, where were you born?"

"I was born in Hi no Kuni."

"Since you're a ninja, could that possibly be narrowed down to Konohagakure no Sato?"

"Yes."

"I see. How high in rank were you before you went AWOL?"

"Huh?"

"You know, you left and never went back an ally."

"You mean turned traitor?"

"I was trying to keep from that, but yes."

"I was ANBU."

"So you were powerful, which is why you're alive today. How old were you?"

"Thirteen."

She turned to stare at him. "No! You were?"

"Yes."

"Wow, that's quite the feat. Were you part of a clan?"

"Yes, if you couldn't tell by my name."

"I've never heard of the Uchiha Clan."

"Then you've lived a sheltered life here. Almost everyone knows about the Uchiha."

"They're that famous and powerful? How come you left?"

"I do not wish to explain those reasons."

"Okay. Have any siblings?"

"I have one, a brother."

"Is he older or younger?"

"Younger."

"Is he still alive? I at least know how turbulent the life of a ninja can be."

"He is."

"How old is he? A little kid, teenager or grown up man?"

"He's sixteen."

"Huh, how about that. I'm an only child, moved out years ago to get my own place and become a ninja. So, what about your parents? Are they alive too?"

"No."

"I'm sorry. My parents are civilians, so I'm a first-generation ninja. I hope any kids I have'll be ninjas just like me. Do you like kids?"

"I've never really had a chance to experience much of being around them, so I don't know."

"Just imagine yourself in a room full of kids. What's your first thought?"

"With my new impairment, I don't know how good I would be. I feel unsure."

"Any first timer would be. I have several cousins that I've had time to practice on, so I love kids, and kids love me. What kind of weather do you like?"

"I like sunny, usually."

"Me, I don't know any differently, so I love the rain. It's so soothing and if I were to not hear it at night, I think I wouldn't be able to sleep at all. What's your favorite color?"

"I'm partial to black."

"But that's such a dreary color, sorta like this place. I like bright colors, like yellow, orange, red, warm and happy. What's your favorite flower?"

Itachi fell silent for a moment, thinking. He then smiled a little as he recalled something. "I like dandelions."

"Aren't those weeds?"

"Yes, but they have nice flowers."

"Okay, if you say so. I like daisies, because they're so fresh and lively, brightening up a room wherever you put them."

"I noticed that particular smell in the kitchen when I first arrived. Don't you need another bouquet of them?"

"Yes, thanks for reminding me. I'll drop by while shopping. What's your favorite smell?"

"I love the scent of nature itself, how alive and vivid it is."

"Wow, here's something different. You like nature, do you?"

"Yes."

"That'll be something we'll have to experience together. I've never left this village, so all I know are these buildings, not very many growing things here. My favorite smells are fresh rainwater and lavender."

They went on and on in their walk, finding out all sorts of things from each other: little facts that were interesting to learn. Their walk went on for a while, until Itachi started feeling a little chilled from being in the constant downpour for so long. They went home and ate a hearty lunch, getting warmed up again.

She jumped up and began doing squats, Itachi, hearing her grunting a little from the effort, raised his eyebrows and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Some squats. Whenever I'm feeling perky, I have extra energy to burn so I do unnecessary exercises. Plus it keeps me in shape when I'm not on shifts with Pain-sama."

He shook his head and began doing some stretches, judging how much strength he'd gotten back thus far: some, but not enough to do anything too strenuous as of yet. He sighed and wondered what she looked like, how tall she was, what the expressions on her face were. Ever since losing his sight, he hadn't used his Kekkei Genkai for any reason because he knew it wouldn't help him see, only see the chakra flow of an opponent, plus he didn't know if it would scare Utena or not. She seemed to be a tough cookie, if she worked for Leader without much fear or complaint. He would have to ask her if she was afraid whenever she came in contact with him.

"I've been wondering about something."

She paused in her squats. "What?"

"Do you have any feelings of fear when working with Pain-sama?"

He expected some trepidation, but her voice was gentle as she admitted, "None. Pain-sama has never given me any reason to fear him. If anything, I want to help him more because of his presence. The only thing that even slightly makes me uneasy is those eyes of his, they're so intense, but I could attribute that with that I feel that he can see to my very soul with them…" She chuckled. "It's funny, considering the circumstances."

"What circumstances?"

She tilted her head and smiled softly, rubbing her stomach a little. "_That_, I'm afraid, is a _s-e-c-r-e-t_."

With that she resumed her exercise.

Itachi considered her words and knew this was the only dojutsu she'd ever seen, so she was unfamiliar with them. She didn't know of the Akatsuki, considering she called Leader "Lord Pain" and Konan "Lady Tenshi", so she probably was in league with the rogue side of Amegakure no Sato without even realizing there was anything different. He did wonder if she knew that rogue ninjas were in the wrong, probably, since she did say something along those lines, but didn't really care. She herself was a good person, yet she was working for the side of evil, from his standpoint. He no longer worked for the Akatsuki, since he was virtually useless from his lack of eyesight.

"Are you familiar with the word 'dojutsu'?"

"Of course I am. Pain-sama has one of the most powerful of them all, called the Rinnegan. I know there are others, but not the names or abilities. Could it be that you have one?"

"Yes, I do. The Uchiha Clan has a very versatile one, called the Sharingan."

"I've never seen you use it."

"I didn't know if it would frighten you or not."

"I'm fine, if I was a chicken, I wouldn't be a ninja working for Pain-sama, would I?"

Itachi nodded at that. He activated his Sharingan, and then noticed something that he'd never thought would happen after receiving blindness because of over-usage of the Mangekyo.

He could_ see_. Not just the chakra flow, but _everything_, in high detail, no less. He reached up to his eyes to find out if it was just his imagination, and saw his palms, thin and bony, but his hands nonetheless. He stared at them for a moment before looking beyond at Utena, who was watching him with confusion in her eyes. She was shorter than him, almost miniature in a way, her hair a hot pink and the majority of it tied back in a braid, the rest short and free at her chin, a pair of hair strands arching above her head like a cockroach's antennae, her face rather cute-looking, heart-shaped and with large, electric-blue eyes, yet her body was very lean, toned to point that she kept herself in excellent shape. She tilted her head as she did her squats at a very fast pace, vigorous enough that she ought to be very sore the next day.

"Are you all right?"

"This is an odd new power. I can see perfectly when I use my Sharingan."

"Oh!" She stopped and came over. "So you can see me now?"

"Yes. Now I know why you said we couldn't be family, you are quite the opposite of myself."

She grinned and asked, "How long do you think you can keep it active?"

"With my current condition and chakra level, no more than half a day without suffering from chakra exhaustion, it is a highly demanding technique when it comes to chakra."

"What else can you do with it?"

"See chakra flow inside an opponent, copy the movements of said opponent and cast strong genjutsu, which can be quite effective against an opponent."

"I guess that would be interesting…"

"Is something the matter?"

"Oh, not much."

"You're lying."

"It doesn't concern you at this time," she insisted, before a smirk came to her face. "I have a hard question for you: who was your first love?"

He snorted. "I had none. I didn't have time."

"What? Not even a single tiny crush?"

"No."

"Well, that sure made me lose a lot of momentum." She sighed and then pointed at him accusingly. "Have you even had your first kiss?!" she demanded.

"No."

"You're no fun at all." She pouted.

"What will we do now, since we seem to have exhausted our conversation subjects?"

"Are you tired?"

"Not yet."

She placed a finger to her lips in thought. "Oh, oh, oh! I know! Let's play a game!"

"A game? Like what?"

"I have plenty of things to play, from all over the land and beyond. Lemme see…"

She walked to the linen closet and his eyes widened at the number of boxes crammed into the second shelf. She looked at each one and then grabbed one in the middle, yanking it out. His eyes widened further at the sight of none of the boxes moving at the lack of support. He looked at it and sounded it out.

"Go Fish?"

"Yes, it ought to be fun!"

"What kind of cards are these?"

"It's the ninja version! I have pictures from the bingo book in here! Whether or not it's outdated! Come on! It's my favorite!"

* * *

After nearly ten hours of playing the game over and over, Itachi was exhausted and frustrated.

"Can we do something else?"

"Would you rather play Old Maid, Poker, Black Jack, Twenty-one, Rummy or B.S.?"

By this time she was lying on the floor with her feet crossed in the air, kicking gently, her chin in her hands. He was sitting cross-legged with his arms resting on his knees.

"How about we go to bed, if you haven't forgotten, I need my rest."

"Awww, okay. You're just sour that I beat you most of the time."

She got up and put the game away, stretching before going to her room. She turned to him and pointed to him. "If you're going to change in here with me, turn off your Sharingan."

He understood and his eyes turned back to their usual black, his eyesight gone again. She handed him the bathrobe he'd worn the last two nights and changed into her nightgown, before he caught the end of her braid in one hand.

"Don't you ever let this out?"

"Yes, when I wash my hair."

"You should let it out every night so it can relax. This plait is very tight."

"Why do you care? It's not like it's your hair."

"It's so you can sleep better. If you sleep better, you have more chakra recovery and can do more things. After all, it's almost tomorrow."

She was about to protest when he untied the ribbon that held her braid and began combing out the plaiting. She felt a shiver go up and down her spine at the feeling of her hair being played with, something she'd never let anyone do before. She felt a blush rise in her cheeks, especially when he ran his fingers through her hair to loosen and straighten the waves the braid had created. When he finished and went to the bed to get in, she didn't move for a moment. What was that feeling? It wasn't familiar at all, in fact, it was disconcerting. She'd felt the tingling go through her body down to her toes. She shivered and murmured, "I have to go wash my face."

He sat up at that, his head turned towards her. "Is something wrong?"

"Ah, no. Not really."

"You're lying again."

"I am for a good reason. I'll be back."

She went to the bathroom, filled the sink with water, splashing and scrubbing her face vigorously, shaking her bangs free of water before drying off with a towel. She looked at her face and saw it was splotchy from the scrubbing, feeling a little better now that the cold water had cleared her head. She shook her head and headed to her room, stepping in and flipping the blankets down. She slid in and brought the blankets back to their original position. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, but she felt electricity go through her body, making her acutely uncomfortable. She steadied her breathing, forcing herself to relax.

After a while, she finally was able to get to sleep, even if her body ached from keeping still.

* * *

And there you have it! How do you think the next chapter will start up from how this one ended? *winks*

Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

Now we find out what's happened since we last left our beloved main character!

* * *

Her eyes opened as she felt the electric feeling, except even more powerfully this time. She found that she'd moved in her sleep, straddling Itachi, who's eyes were open. She felt her cheeks redden and he smirked.

"By all means, do what you want with me. You sure talked enough about it last night."

She leaped out of bed, her legs quaking beneath her. "Shut up! If I was talking in my sleep, it was nonsensical dreams!"

He chuckled and shook his head as he got up. "Sure didn't seem like it."

She huffed and stalked out, taking her clothes with her. She showered and dried her hair with the hair dryer, the only way she could do so properly because of the humidity. She plaited it swiftly and tied it off with her favorite ribbon. She sighed and came out when she was properly dressed. She found Itachi in the kitchen, Sharingan on, cooking breakfast. Her eyes widened at the sight and she asked, "What're you doing? I'm supposed to be the one taking care of you."

He turned to her, his crimson tomoed eyes locking on hers. "You took care of me for these last three days and I want to help as much as I can, considering if I didn't I'd probably leech off you until I found something better to do."

She put her hands on her hips and frowned. "I don't like it that you're working more than necessary while you're recovering, using your chakra for things other than healing."

He sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I want to help you, you shouldn't complain. Usually I wouldn't if I didn't feel I owed you something."

"So this is just because you want to be even with me? That's pretty stupid."

"I'm honorable; would you compromise it so you can take care of me?"

She scowled, but sat down and let him do what he wanted, although it was against the grain as a medical ninja. She kept that expression the whole time until they were finished eating. She then pushed him into the sitting room onto the couch. "Rest for a while."

"And do what?"

"Maybe I'll get out the cards so you can play Solitaire until I'm ready to play something else with you."

"Life as a ninja couldn't be more boring."

"Hey, when it rains all the time in a city like this, and I'm on a limited budget, we can't go out and do much."

"Sometimes you don't need much. Do you think I had much financial backing when I was a rogue? You learn to get by without a lot of things."

She tilted her head. "Like what?"

"Have you seen any spectacular sights here that you would never forget?"

"Yes…but why would…oh…" She realized what he wanted. "You want to visit some of them with me?"

"Of course, once I have time to rest, unless you think I'm fit enough to go out like I did when you were last going to Pain-sama."

"You're better than that. Come on, we'll go."

* * *

Itachi looked at the view of the city at the top of Pain's tower, the sunset shining through the rain and making a magnificent rainbow. Utena smiled at the sight, her eyes happy.

"This is my favorite sight in the whole world. I never thought anything changed in this place, until I stumbled upon this."

"I see what you mean. If you went down to Konohagakure no Sato, they have all sorts of weather, including rainbows much like this one. There are all sorts of sights that you'll never see here, in this rainy village."

"But no one can leave here; the borders have been closed since Pain-sama slew Salamander Hanzo. Now that you're here, you're here for life, even if you came here by mistake. Um…not that I mean to pry, but I have a question about that cloak of yours."

"Yes?" He turned his Sharingan on her.

"Is it part of a uniform or just a fashion statement?"

"It's the symbol for the organization I once belonged to. Now, with my eyesight gone save for when I use my Kekkei Genkai and I'm still recovering from emaciation, I am no longer liable for such a position. In fact, it would be wise if I quit being a ninja altogether."

Her blue eyes widened at the declaration. "You…would throw away such an honor?"

His own were set in complete seriousness. "It wasn't an honor for me for the longest time. I was forced into becoming a ninja, because of my genius. The only reason I'm a rogue is from direct orders from the Hokage."

"Your own village leader…ordered you to betray your own village?"

"No, but that will not be revealed until a later time. It isn't easy to talk about to someone not involved."

"Oh, I see, internal affairs. As a ninja myself, I understand that. Some secrets aren't meant to be shared with outsiders."

"I am no longer a ninja, so I am no longer bound by such things. It is a matter of a more personal nature now," he explained to her, before turning back to the fading rainbow. "You say the borders are closed, but it would be quite simple to get past security and leave, with the stealth methods I have learned as an ANBU."

"Really?" she asked, surprised.

"As an Uchiha, I had to excel at everything."

"So your brother, does he miss you?"

"No."

"Not at all?"

"No."

"Is that why you've never gone back?"

"No, but that is a personal matter." He turned to her. "You're changing the subject on purpose. Are you afraid to leave?"

She met him with a glare. "I'm not afraid of anything."

"Then what is your reason for staying here?"

"I have family, friends, my duty—"

"Let go of all that. You must escape your cage and fly, no longer trapped by anything."

"By betraying everyone I know?!"

"It isn't betrayal. Do you not know what the slash across your hitae-ate means?"

"It has a meaning?"

He nodded, his entire countenance serious now. "It means you have betrayed your village and have become a rogue."

She froze, shocked beyond belief by this new information. "You…you're lying! You must be! _Everyone_ in this village has a slash across their hitae-ate!"

"I am not. I did so when I left Konohagakure no Sato. Your leader, Pain-sama, was the one who leads this group of rogues, who have taken over the main village and shut everyone out so that no one from the outside will learn of this. Anyone from the outside is killed immediately, unless they are of the same allegiance to the organization that runs this. The Akatsuki, who wear the same cloak I did when you found me."

"Akatsuki… So outside these walls, there are Ame ninja who are loyal to their country?"

"Yes. Do you want to spend your life here as a traitor, or go out there and be free of all this?"

She clenched her fists at her sides, not sure what to do. He couldn't be lying, she would be able to tell. There was no lie in his eyes, which were completely open to her. She didn't know if Nagato needed her for anything else, since it was inevitable that he was to die. His last act was proof that he'd given up. She set her lips in a determined line and nodded.

"Okay, I'll go."

* * *

Now for the grand escape! Where will they go, and what will happen to them?

Please review!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

Things will change a lot in this chapter, so get ready!

* * *

They packed everything up quickly, everything in her apartment that hadn't been there when she'd moved in. She smiled at him as they sneaked through the village to the gate, checking to see where the guards were. Itachi signaled to Utena and they used a technique to teleport to the other side, then he used his speed and stealth to get them a safe distance away. After that, he turned off his Sharingan and let her lead him all the way back to Konohagakure no Sato with his instructions, on the civilian route, which took twice, almost three times as long as the cross-country ninja route, but they had to make sure that people thought they were civilians. He smiled down at her and she squeezed his shoulder.

"Let's get moving, this is going to be a long trip."

* * *

Four months passed as they traveled, and since Itachi was blind, he missed a vital fact about his partner. She was a medical ninja, there was no way she missed it in the slightest, and she could see naturally. They got to the village, stepping through without a problem. It was then that Utena gasped in awe.

"Wow…this place is amazing, just as you said! To think that most of the world is sunny…it seems like a dream to me and I don't want to ever wake up."

He smiled and put an arm around her. "Then don't. Let's go, see some sights that you won't see in any other village."

They walked through the village, her eyes racing all over, before she commented, "The buildings are so short here, how can you fit all these people in the village?"

"We manage. Now look up at the mountain face."

"Mountain—oh that is _so_ cool! That is something I've _never_ seen before!"

She jumped up and down, so much that he had to press down on her shoulders to get her to stop. "Calm down, we don't need you getting too excited."

"Aw, come on! Who wouldn't be excited? It's completely natural!"

"Your enthusiasm is too much. Tone it down a bit, will you? People must be staring."

She looked around and _did_ see people staring at her. She giggled a little and felt her stomach grumble. "I'm hungry, is there a—oh! I see somewhere!"

Before Itachi could ask, she dragged him and sat him down, and only the smell of ramen tipped him off to where they were.

"Welcome to Ichiraku Ramen!" a young woman greeted, smiling. "What can I get you today?"

"I'd like a works ramen please!" Utena chirped, stretching a little as she sat down, satisfied when she felt the kinks in her spine pop back into place. "We've been traveling so long without much of anything! A good meal will lift my spirits a ton!"

Itachi shook his head, but murmured, "A plain ramen."

"Your husband sure likes to skimp on flavor, that's for sure! Plain? Almost no one orders that!"

Utena giggled, patting her friend's shoulder. "We're not married, what made you think that?"

"Oh, I'm sorry! I merely thought, since you were here together and you're pregnant! My mistake!"

"Don't worry, it happens all the time!"

Itachi was silent at this information that had been brought to light. Utena was pregnant and she didn't tell him? Who was the father and why hadn't she told him of this connection? If he'd known, he wouldn't have brought her here, so far away from her lover, since he knew she wasn't married or else she wouldn't have been living alone. He was careful as he ate, so he wouldn't spill any. He considered what he would have to do, now that these circumstances were in place.

Utena was aware of her companion's shock at the news of her carrying. In fact, this was exactly the reason why she hadn't told him. She didn't want it to drive a wedge into their relationship, even though they weren't even at the kissing stage yet. They were comfortable with what they had at the time being and she didn't want to rush it. She knew he liked her immensely, but beyond that, it was a mystery. Would he want to call it off because of this new revelation? She sure hoped not.

* * *

Aha! A new revelation! Will our pair part because of this? Or will they become even closer? Something to think about...

Please review!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

I'm in a great mood and I won't be able to post for a while, so I'll post now, even though it's only been less than a day since I've posted the last chapter.

The reason for my good mood: I received a glowing review from a guest reviewer who went by the screen name "udntned2no". Wherever you are, thanks for the great review and giving me the support I wish I had all the time! I love you! :D

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving to anyone who celebrates it!

This chapter is short but sweet! *offers on a silver platter*

* * *

They got a room in an apartment building before Itachi activated his Sharingan and turned to glare at her.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?"

She grabbed the end of her braid and began to play with it, not meeting his eyes. "I just didn't want you to know. I thought it would drive us apart."

He crossed his arms and gave her a demanding look. "Who's the father?"

"His name is Nagato, and it's not what you think. We never had a relationship, it was merely—"

"For what? Gratification?"

"No, it was never physical—"

"Then how are you carrying his child?"

"Artificial insemination. I'm still a virgin. I wasn't sure if it would work, but for his sake, I'd hoped it would."

"Why would you do this?"

"It was loyalty to a good friend. He was the closest I'd ever had to a boyfriend, but not quite. We never even shared a kiss."

"So I will be the first to ever kiss you?"

"Yes, when we get—"

Her sentence was cut off when he grabbed her face and brought their lips together. She stiffened at first then relaxed as she realized that he wasn't kissing her out of spite. He'd been genuinely worried that they would have to part because of this. His hands slid from her cheeks to the back of her head, purring deep in his throat as he felt her compliance. Her hands went to his shoulders and gripped when he parted from her. He stared into her eyes and smiled at her.

"We've gotten to that point. Do you agree with me?"

She nodded, not sure if she could trust her voice at the time.

* * *

*hearts in eyes* Wasn't that touching? I really like the feel of this chapter, I hope all of you who read this do too! :)

Please review!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

It's only been a week?! Wow... It feels longer than that since I last posted!

* * *

Utena basked in the feeling of such a warm summer day. She walked with her boyfriend and bounced in excitement at the sight of so many different people on this market day. He had bandages wrapped around his eyes so that no one would question his sightlessness. His hair was tied up in a high ponytail, his bangs tucked behind his ears so most people wouldn't even know he was an Uchiha, even if he wore a necklace with the emblem under his shirt. She knew that if he were to be caught, he would be tried for his crimes, whatever he was accused with. It didn't matter to her as much as she'd first thought, and knew he would keep his promise to tell her when the time was right.

"What has you in such a good mood that you're bouncing yet again today?"

"This place has such a positive energy, I'm sure that no other village is like it. Would you like to direct me in the shopping?"

"We don't need much, but you're the one who does most of the cooking. Mind our budget."

"Okay."

He kept his hands on her shoulders as she walked while holding onto her large stomach. She was sure she had twins, but Itachi assured her that if there was, they would be in it together. She felt so happy that although they'd only known each other a little more than nine months that he was so loyal. Her ears picked up a sudden explosion and she felt a surge of familiar chakra. Her eyes lit up before they widened.

"Dodge left!" she cried, just as one of the Sixth Paths of Pain charged straight at them, Itachi jumping to the side just in time. She cried out as she felt the magnetic pull of the power that this certain Path had. They were both drawn forward, but their short flight only ended up with him catching Utena and giving her a long stare. She shouted, "Let me go! I'm not your enemy!"

Itachi got up from the ground behind her and watched as she stared Leader-sama down. He was surprised when she was let go and the Akatsuki ran off in an opposite direction. "I knew you're a former ally, but why didn't he attack you just because you're here?"

She pressed her lips together as she turned to him. "Nagato is behind all this. He is…Pain-sama."

He nodded in acceptance. "He would never harm his child."

She cradled her stomach and glanced about the now-empty street. "We have to get out of sight before anyone—" Her pupils contracted as her hands tightened a little. "Uh-oh."

"Too late?" he asked, his tomoed eyes searching for any possible threats.

"No, _this_ uh-oh," she corrected, placing one of his hands on her swelled middle.

He instantly went into action. He lifted her up and used his speed to get them to the hospital, only to find there were several ninjas already being healed there. He was about to turn away when a young nurse came up to him. "Is everything all right, sir?"

He closed his eyes and replied in an altered voice, "My girlfriend is in labor. I think it was caused by this attack."

"Oh! We'd better get her back to the maternity ward and hope that the enemy doesn't attack while she's delivering."

He followed her through the chaos and smiled grimly. To think the child of this village's current enemy was about to be delivered right under their noses…it was ironic.

* * *

Utena gasped through the pain and felt it fading as she heard the cries of her baby. She gazed at the pale-skinned, red-haired baby boy that screamed as he was placed on her stomach. She reached out and stroked his red tresses, which wasn't surprising, since Nagato's genes were very dominant, as he was of the Uzumaki Clan.

"Your son is quite the striking boy," the nurse cooed, before picking him up to wash and dress him.

Itachi turned on his Sharingan to assess his girlfriend's condition. She seemed all right, even though her chakra levels were low. With rest and proper eating, she would recover quickly. He bent down and kissed her, and she combed her fingers through his hair. He jerked his head up when the nurse spoke again.

"Sir, what would you like to call him?"

He turned to Utena, who breathed, "Nagato, Uzumaki Nagato."

His eyes widened as he realized that had to be Leader-sama's last name. That red hair was prevalent with the Uzumaki Clan, after all.

"All right. Here sir, your son."

He took the boy, who was fast asleep now. Not once had he opened his eyes, which he thought was lucky. Both ninjas tensed when they felt a rumble go through the ground, before in a poof of smoke they vanished as they traveled to the outer walls of Konohagakure no Sato, Utena holding her son while Itachi held her. He watched in shock as the entire village was destroyed in a matter of seconds, everything was pushed out to the walls, a huge crater appearing in the center.

"What happened?" she asked, trying to look.

"Rest. Sufficient to say, Konohagakure no Sato won't be the same for a long time after this. We should go, or else we'll be apprehended by the natives."

She nodded and smiled a little as she rubbed her cheek against the newborn's. "My baby…so beautiful…"

He smirked at her pleasure and raced away, heading west.

* * *

Where do you think they'll go, now that they're on the run?

Please review!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

Such a short chapter I offer you, but here you go!

* * *

Nagato wailed as Utena tried to heal him, but her chakra reserves were scant enough as they were in her weakened state. The travel along with the bit of food they had wasn't enough for her to recover properly, plus being out in the elements had made the baby get a chill during the night so now he was very ill. Itachi was running as fast as he could, but it was unfortunate that the closest ninja village was Sunagakure no Sato.

"Stop wasting your chakra, it's not making him better," he scolded her.

"But he's suffering so much, it kills me to see it," she whimpered, tears coming to her eyes.

"We'll be there very soon, I just hope we'll be able to get in so he'll be taken care of."

She nodded and just kept her baby close to her to try and keep him warm. It was nighttime so both she and the newborn were shivering, but that would also mean easier access to the village. Itachi slid through the gates like a shadow, before making a straight path to the ninja hospital. Utena needed care as well and only ninjas could heal her quickly.

He set her down gently at the front door, and she slid it open, Nagato's crying attracting the attention of many of the female nurses. They noticed neither he or his mother were doing well, so they rushed them into one of the rooms where Utena was hooked to an IV, Nagato was cured of the infection he'd caught, and both were wrapped up all warm and cozy. Utena passed out as soon as her baby stopped crying and one of the nurses moved to Itachi's side to tell him that everything was all right, only to find he was asleep as well, grasping the young woman's hand. She smiled and put a blanket over him and a pillow under his head. Whatever had brought this exhausted family here, hopefully they'd be able to rest and recuperate before leaving.

* * *

Awwww...I LOVE IT! So cute!

That's what I have to say about this chapter. I do wonder what will happen to our little family once Utena is back on her feet.

Please review!


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

Dang it, this is a countdown for my story! I can't believe it's going to be so short! After this, only two more chapters! *tears up* This is gonna be hard for me to bear! I LOOOOOVE this story!

* * *

Utena woke to find she was still in bed, but feeling not so weak anymore. She sighed and found Itachi fast asleep next to her, his hand holding hers as his head rested on a pillow next to her hip. She then turned her head to see a nurse feeding Nagato.

"Good morning, how are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling a little better, thank you. How's my son?"

"This little guy has been a complete sweetheart since he woke this morning a while after my shift started. Even with such scary eyes, he sure is a cutie."

Nagato turned his head to his mother, and his intense eyes stared at her face. She smiled softly at how much he looked like his father. He was sure to be a looker when he grew up, but not a heartbreaker, for she wouldn't let him treat girls like that.

"What are you thinking about?"

The blue-eyed woman turned her head and smiled at the sight of her boyfriend awake. "Not anything important. How are you feeling?"

"Quite fine, now that I've had a proper night's sleep."

"Good."

"You look like you need some more time here."

The nurse came over and placed Nagato in his mother's arms. She then turned to Itachi. "Sir, are you completely blind in both eyes?"

"Yes I am."

"Why don't you have a cane? It's very helpful."

"It's also a clear marker that a person is blind. I don't care to show people my infirmity."

"I don't mean to pry, but are you two ninjas?"

Itachi and Utena tensed, but the nurse raised her hands. "It's just that your chakra is very low and the capacity is a lot larger than a civilian's, Ma'am. You were checked over by one of the doctors as you slept, but if you don't want to talk about it, your secret is safe with us."

Utena looked to Itachi, the silent question clear in her eyes. The nurse blinked as he squeezed her hand and she relaxed. The violent pink-haired woman smiled and nodded. "Yes, we are, but no one would want to hire a blind man and a new mother, would they?"

"That's true, but if you do need work, we're always in need of medical ninjas, if either of you are."

Itachi rubbed his girlfriend's back. "It would be a good way to raise money should we need to travel some more. What do you think?"

Utena thought for a moment before nodding. "I'm a medical ninja, quite the good one, according to the people I used to work with. Once my chakra is recovered, I'd be glad to start work at the hospital right away."

The nurse beamed. "Of course! May I have a name?"

"Ametamago Utena."

* * *

This could be a start of a permanent place for the pair...we'll have to see if it solidifies by the time the fic ends!

Please review!


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

After this chapter, there's only one more! *sniffs* I'm getting ahead of myself, so here's the next chapter for you all!

* * *

Naruto pondered the request he'd been given by Pain/Nagato before he'd passed on.

"_Uzumaki Naruto, your last name is familiar to me. As one of my kin, I wish that you do something for me."_

_Naruto gazed at the Rinnegan user in confusion. "What is it?"_

"_I wish for you to find a woman a few years older than you with a newborn child, guided by a dark-haired man whose eyes have gone dark. The child is mine, and I request that you look after them. They have nowhere to go, and your village would be able to bring them safety and happiness. They are headed west as we speak. Would you…do that for me?"_

_The blonde young man smiled at his former enemy. "Sure, I'll do that for you."_

"A young woman with a newborn baby and a dark-haired blind man…I guess I'd better go west and look for them. To think Nagato was part of a set of relatives I didn't know I had…and he has a kid…that's really cool."

He knew that taking anyone with him was out of the question, even if it would be helpful. He would check Sunagakure no Sato and visit Gaara at the same time.

* * *

It took three days, but he got there in the early evening. He headed straight for the Kazekage Tower, only to screech to a halt when he saw a woman holding a bundled up baby and a dark-haired man he recognized right away as an Uchiha, but in the dimness, he wasn't sure who. But for sure, it wasn't Sasuke, he would know his friend anywhere. He came up to the couple and the man raised his head at his approach, but his eyes went past him. Just by that observation, he knew he'd found the people Nagato had been describing.

The woman looked up and he was amazed by the vivid colors of her hair and eyes, and he greeted, "Good evening. Are you—"

The man moved himself in front of her and had a kunai raised, his vacant eyes narrowed. "Who are you? An enemy? I won't let you hurt them."

She placed a hand on his shoulder and assured, "He wasn't aiming to attack. Young man, are you looking for someone in particular? You don't look like an ANBU by your stance."

Naruto laughed, scratching the back of his head. "No, I'm not here to arrest anyone, in fact, I'm still a Genin. I'm about as subtle as a bull in a china shop." He laughed a little more before sobering up. "I was sent to find you by a friend of mine, Uzumaki Nagato. Do you know that name?"

Her eyes widened and she came over to Naruto, giving him a long look. "It couldn't be…you survived such an attack…but here you are. I worked for Nagato-sama as his personal healer, and he talked of the troublesome Jinchuriki of the Kyubi. Whoever knew it was a boy hardly younger than myself? Ametamago Utena."

"Uzamaki Naruto."

"Uzumaki? Ah, now I see. What was his request specifically?"

"To find you, this guy here, and a newborn baby that's supposed to be his. Can I see the kid?"

Utena drew back the blanket from the sleeping baby's face and Naruto spotted the telltale signs of Nagato in the newborn: red hair and pale skin.

"He's sure cute. Who's your friend?"

Utena smiled and took the man's hand. "Since you're a ninja of Konoha, you should know him well, since he is a rogue from your village."

Naruto stared at the Uchiha man and took a small step back when he realized Utena was right. "Uchiha Itachi! But…what're you doing, wandering around with this chick and her baby?"

Itachi stepped closer to Utena and stated, "I've started a new life. With my sightlessness, I am useless to anyone as a ninja. Is there something Leader-sama also requested with finding us?"

"He told me to bring you back to Konohagakure no Sato, but with the way things are, could you start a regular life?"

"What's going on?"

"The new Hokage is being decided right now and I've heard that the prime candidate doesn't have a good reputation."

Itachi's eyes narrowed as he asked, "Who is it?"

"Danzo."

"I can see why this would be bad, he hates rogues from any village, especially his own, and he believes in guilt by association, so even if the baby wasn't Leader-sama's, he would be the son of a criminal, even if she was unaware of it until I pointed it out."

"He also said I had to watch over you."

Utena rolled her eyes. "He might've thought that I'm innocent, but with my boyfriend to instruct me, I'm learning quickly about the outside world. You can't be running around with us with this Danzo as Hokage, or else he'll mark you as a rogue too. Plus you'll be in more danger out in the open with the remaining Akatsuki looking for you than in your village. Go home, we'll stay here until it's safe or there's a change in leadership."

Naruto froze for a second, and then shouted, "Wait a second! Why hasn't Sasuke been chasing you all this time?!"

Itachi smiled. "He's thought I've been dead for almost ten months, so he's given up on me. For him, I died from lighting myself on fire and incinerating."

"Sneaky. Do you think you'll have to go after him to kill him if he keeps going down?"

"I'm blind, remember?"

"Oh yeah. It's suicide for a blind ninja to continue on."

"Were you here only to find us?"

"No, I thought I'd stop by to see Gaara, the new Kazekage. Should I tell him about you?"

Both adults shook their heads. "We'd rather stay as invisible as possible," Itachi answered firmly.

"All right, I'll see you if there's a sudden change in the village's safety or leadership. There's going to be a Kage Summit in the Tetsu no Kuni, and I have to get there before it starts so I can plead Sasuke's case to the Raikage."

Utena tilted her head in confusion. "What about what you said about him? Isn't he going deeper and deeper?"

"Yeah, but the Raikage is after Sasuke's blood because he brought in his brother who was the Hachibi Jinchuriki! He wants him dead, not caught and tried in Konohagakure no Sato!"

Itachi shook his head. "I'm sure if Danzo gets inaugurated as Rokudaime, he'll make sure the hunter ninjas will bring back his body in a bag."

Naruto growled and shouted, "No way am I gonna let them do that!"

"What can you do? You won't be nominated as Hokage, you're too young. If Danzo isn't chosen, then it will probably be one of the older ninja, like Kakashi."

Utena placed a hand on the older man's arm. "It's not important right now, since he has to hurry to get everything done in time."

The Uchiha nodded and placed a hand on the blonde teenager's shoulder. "Go, and good luck in catching up with the Raikage."

"Bye you guys!"

Utena waved and commented, "He's a nice boy, with a big heart. I hope he doesn't stop progressing and become a great ninja."

"He already is, but not quite strong enough to become Hokage."

"His chakra capacity is enormous, though! He's on par with Nagato-sama, at least!"

"Yes, but his next opponents are on a higher level still. Believe me, I know."

"Why didn't you tell him about your—"

"Hush," he cut in suddenly, just as she spotted a blonde young woman around seventeen with her hair in four ponytails and a Suna hitae-ate, wearing a dark-colored kimono and a large fan on her back. The young woman almost passed by them before she stopped and turned to them.

"You're newcomers, aren't you?"

Utena tilted her head and asked, "How could you tell?"

The teenager chuckled. "Your clothes aren't from around here, and neither of you look even the slightest bit like the people from around here. Usually people aren't as dark or brightly colored with pale skin, so you have to be…" She looked at Itachi, realization coming to her face. "Hey, aren't you Uchiha? I thought there was only one Uchiha left!"

Itachi shook his head. "No, there is a handful. I'm not a ninja, just a civilian. After the disaster at Konohagakure no Sato, my girlfriend and I with her baby wanted to have a more stable environment here."

"Oh? What happened at Konohagakure no Sato?"

"It was attacked almost a week ago by the Akatsuki. It's just as good as leveled."

"What?!"

Her raised voice woke Nagato from his sleep, the infant crying. Utena bounced him gently. "It's okay, Nagato. You're all right."

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to wake him!"

"It's all right, he was due to wake anytime anyway. No harm done."

The young woman came over and looked down at the quickly-calming newborn. "He's sure cute…but those eyes…I've never seen anything like them." She looked up at Itachi. "Did this happen before you met?"

Itachi shook his head. "But our relationship is in the early stages still. She had a boyfriend before this and they were intimate. He died recently, so he never knew she was pregnant."

"I'm sorry. Nagato's a nice name, where'd you get it?"

"I named him after his father."

"I've never heard of a ninja with eyes like those, these have to be a dojutsu and a Kekkei Genkai. Do you know what village he was from?"

Utena looked to Itachi, who slid his hand from hers to her shoulder, squeezing. She sighed and smiled sadly. "He was from Amegakure no Sato, as was I."

"But that village has had closed borders since before I was born, how did you leave?"

"I had help sneaking out from my boyfriend. He wanted to show me what was beyond the village's walls."

"That's really cool. I'm Temari."

"Utena."

Itachi stayed silent as the girls chatted, keeping his ears sharp for anyone who could be listening in on this conversation. As of yet, he hadn't found anything. It was lucky that Temari hadn't recognized him or else they would've had to run again.

"…yet? You'd better snag this one or he'll get away!"

Utena turned red as a cherry and shook her head hard. "Temari-san, how can you say that so easily?! He and I aren't even at such a stage yet!"

"Why not? Look at him, he's a dark, tall, handsome piece of man that quite a few women would cut off an arm and a leg for. I'd bet if he were in the sleazy business, girls would be falling all over themselves to get a chance at him! Besides, it's all being part of a ninja! Everything is a tool!"

"I would _never_ do such a thing with that frame of mind!"

"Oh, come on! Haven't you had a mission which required you to use such tactics to snare a criminal?"

"No, my only missions as a ninja didn't require such! I want the first time to be special, not impersonal!"

"With a face and body like that, do you think he _hasn't_ done it?"

Itachi noticed that Utena was troubled and placed his arm around her. "Don't worry," he whispered in her ear. "Because of my place in the clan, no girl ever approached me without my father's consent, and he thought no one was _ever_ good enough, and I was only thirteen. Until you came around, I never had the urge to pursue anyone."

Utena smiled at those words and turned to kiss him in thanks.

Temari put her hands on her hips and grinned. "Did he tell you he'd never cheat on you?"

The pink-haired woman smirked. "That's something between my boyfriend and me, Temari-san."

"Have you eaten yet? I could treat you, since I'm sure you don't have much to spare."

Itachi smiled and replied, "That would be nice, Temari-san."

"Great! Come on, it's late, so not many shops will be open!"

Itachi kept his hand on his girlfriend's shoulder as they traveled to their dinner destination.

* * *

To think this is a shorter fic of mine...oh well! I hope I can wrap this up so that everyone's happy with the ending!

Please review!


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

So here we are, at the end of the story! I never thought it would be this short, but... *sniffs* ...here it is!

Enjoy the ending of my most current project!_  
_

* * *

_Four years later…_

Sasuke limped through the busy streets of Sunagakure no Sato, surprised to see how lively the people seemed after only a month after the Fourth Great Ninja War had ended. The fighting had been bitter, many had lost their lives, he himself hadn't been unscathed, as good as he was. He had a set of ugly slashes from his left cheek all the way back to his nape, which had closed up but had left angry red scars, his eye on that side no longer functional, in fact it was horridly askew. His entire appearance was rough and unkempt: his hair long and shaggy, he had the beginnings of a beard, his clothes torn and stained with all sorts of things, the original colors long before lost. He wore a ragged cloak over everything and looked like a beggar for all it was worth.

Someone brushed past him at a run and he tensed, only to see a boy around four years old with rich red hair about to his mid-neck tied back in a ponytail, and on the back of his forest green jacket was a symbol he'd thought he'd never see again: the swirl that adorned Naruto's jacket and the vests of every Chunin and Jonin in Konohagakure no Sato. He blinked at the sight, confused as all heck, when someone bumped into him. He looked down to see a three-year-old girl with her maroon hair tied in two low ponytails stop and chirp, "Sorry!" before she went on, chasing the boy, but this time he noticed the small symbol below the back of the collar of her blue shirt: the Uchiha symbol. He reached out too late to stop the girl, hardly believing his eyes, only for a boy of two years with magenta hair to toddle past him, the Uchiha symbol also on his back, but the shirt was baby blue and high-necked.

_How_ could it be _possible_? _Uchiha children_ in _Sunagakure no Sato_!

He regained his senses enough to follow the trio of kids as he thought about how this could be. Itachi had committed suicide over five years ago, and Madara had been eliminated, thus why the war had ended. He himself was the sole survivor of a once-great clan, and then _this_ happens. There wasn't any way he could've had any children because he had too much to do since his defection that he'd had no time for such things, in fact he'd never even touched a woman in such a way, he was a virgin in everything except Naruto had "stolen" his first kiss. Even if his DNA could've been spread by someone, who would, since everyone hated him? He could be looking at _his_ children, even if most of the ninjas now called the Uchiha Clan the "plague of all ninjas".

The children stopped, the oldest boy tugging on something and his eye refocused to see a woman, in her mid-twenties, facing away from him in front of a fruit stall, wearing a knee-length dress of golden yellow, her hot pink hair chin-length, the ends curled inwards, a pair of locks sticking up like a pair of cockroach antennae, making her seem younger at first glance. She was a tiny woman, several inches shorter than he was, yet she seemed fit and her muscle tone was good.

He then noticed the Uchiha symbol on her back like the children, by how they were clinging to her, and he saw the hitae-ate on her upper arm: one from Amegakure no Sato. The cloth was blue, like the standard one would be, but the white cloth tied around her head like a girl's headband made him even more confused as he saw the glint of metal in the sunlight. He listened in on the children's chatter as they pulled at her clothes.

"Oka-san, my eyes are itching!" the oldest boy complained.

"Oka-chan! Guess what! Guess what!" the girl yelled over the boy.

The youngest boy just babbled, hardly any intelligible words apparent. He seemed excited over something, whatever it was.

The woman turned to her children had he saw her gentle eyes, electric blue, her long, loose braid over one shoulder, but most of all, the Suna symbol on her hitae-ate and her huge pregnant stomach, which hadn't been visible from the back. She placed a hand on the swelling bulge and spoke patiently to each child in turn. "Nagato, this happens every day when we go out, you need to remember to have your contacts washed properly so your eyes don't itch as much."

"Yes, Oka-san."

"Konan, tell me along the way so I can finish my shopping so we can get home, and hold your little brother's hand so he doesn't get lost."

"Yes, Oka-chan!"

"Oh little Fugaku, you're so precious, did you have a good time at the park? Yes you did, didn't you?"

Fugaku squealed in delight as his older sister began talking a mile-a-minute about what fun they'd had at the park and Nagato tried not to rub his eyes, although he blinked his clear blue eyes more than normal. The three kids held hands while the eldest led the way after their mother.

Sasuke knew he _had_ to meet this woman, to see what the story was behind these three children. Nagato looked different from his siblings yet had a similar shade of eyes to his mother, but both Konan and Fugaku had Uchiha features, Konan had black eyes and Fugaku electric blue. He stepped into their path and greeted, "Excuse me, Ma'am—"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I don't have any money to give you Sir," she apologized, her eyes guilty. "I have just enough to provide for my family since I have maternal leave and I have three children. Times are hard, especially during such a terrible war, you understand."

He raised his hands in a placating gesture and assured her, "I'm not begging for money, Ma'am. I just want to—"

"Utena-chan!" a strikingly-familiar voice called, and all five of the group turned to see Naruto, looking as healthy as ever, not a scratch on him, wearing a red cloak with black fire on the bottom over his orange and black outfit, his hitae-ate as it always was, but his hair was shaggier, but not like Sasuke's, just longer with time. He ran over to the woman and hugged her, patting her back. "It's finally over, and my dream is reality!"

Utena smiled and rubbed the blonde's back in return. "Finally, Rokudaime Hokage after Tsunade-sama retired. I'm proud of you. Any kids yet?"

"Are you kidding?! No way! I just got married a week ago, you know that perfectly well! Hinata insisted I come and get you from the market!"

"Okay, but I was stopped by this poor man and I can't leave without giving him something."

Naruto flipped some coins into Sasuke's hands and put an arm around Utena's shoulders. "You need to get off your feet, those ankles of yours are too swelled up as they are!"

"I know, but I have to get things to support my family."

"You've had two kids during the war, almost three! And Nagato was just a newborn when the war was declared! You need to relax and let that man of yours do some work!"

"He's unable to mostly without my help Naruto-kun, being as blind as a bat will do that to you."

"Are you absolutely sure he can't see at all? He's sure agile for a blind man! I mean, he threw a fire jutsu at me and it hit!"

"Pardon the pun, but it was _blind_ luck."

"Otou-san does more than you think!" Nagato insisted. "Don't diss him, Naruto-ojii-san!"

"Otou-chan is the greatest ever!" Konan added just as strongly. "No dissing!"

"Naruto, Naruto, Naruto," Fugaku sang, before crying, "Hungry! Food!"

Utena placed a hand on her youngest son's head. "Okay, Fugaku. We'll be home soon. Naruto-kun, enough arguing, we need to get to my house before Fugaku throws a fit from hunger."

"Yeah, last time he did, he almost pulled his dad's hair out, from what the letter said."

"Yes, he needs his food when he wants it, and nothing else will calm him once he gets going."

Sasuke followed them to a modest-sized house, the door closing before he could call out. He considered what he should do, since he wasn't too pleasant to look at, plus he looked poor, so of course people would think he was a beggar. His limp was from slowly-healing wounds from the Kyubi's chakra, several sets of four huge slashes that were still open under the old bandages, pain flashing through them at constant intervals, and he was sure nasty scars would be there once they finally healed. If he wanted to talk to this woman on equal terms, he'd have to clean up and get a crutch or two so he could move around better until his leg recovered enough to stand his full weight.

He used a teleportation jutsu to get to the location of the ninja cats, and two of them greeted him.

"Welcome, nya."

"I need to talk to Neko-obaa-san," he insisted.

"Do you have payment, nya?"

He tossed a canister of catnip to one of them, and they let him pass, one murmuring to the other, "He has a really bad leg, nya. Maybe he's a survivor of the war, nya."

"Of course, nya. It just ended a month ago, so his wounds would still be healing, especially when it's field treatment, nya."

Sasuke ignored them and went into the main chamber of the establishment, where an old woman with cat ears on her head looked up. She took her pipe from her lips and gave him a long look. "Your part in the war was hard, Sasuke-kun. You'll probably have that limp for a long time without proper treatment, if not permanently. Are you here for treatment and a clean up?"

"Yes, Neko-obaa-san."

He was given a thorough bath, his face shaved, hair cut and styled, new clothes chosen: a white zip-up shirt with the symbol of his clan on the back, black jean shorts, black ninja sandals, and a Konoha hitae-ate with a black cloth. He looked at it as his leg was given intense healing treatment, but the mending was still sluggish, the demon chakra permeating them, as if to torture him further and telling him that fighting Naruto had been wrong and everything he'd done up to this point had been meaningless. He gazed at his hitae-ate and gave a determined nod, tying it in the place it should've never left.

After his leg was wrapped, he was given a pair of crutches. Grandmother Cat gave him a serious look as she offered him some advice. "Now that the war is over, you should restart your life, Sasuke-kun. Don't let the past drag you down anymore. Also, get daily treatments for that leg, those gouges aren't anything to laugh at."

"I will, Neko-obaa-san. Thank you for your help."

He turned to leave, and then paused. "I have to ask something before I leave."

"Yes?"

"Have there been any Uchiha besides myself who's come here in the last five years?"

A smile came to the wrinkled lips. "Perhaps. Have you met some?"

"Yes, they reside in Sunagakure no Sato. Who is their sire?"

"You'll have to find that out yourself, Sasuke-kun."

He put on the white cloak and nodded, using the same teleportation jutsu to go back to Sunagakure no Sato. He leaned on his crutches and began to go back to Utena's house, where he was sure Naruto was still visiting. He just hoped she was in a talking mood, or else he would have a hard time talking with Utena about who was the father of those two children. He got there in better time than before, before he knocked on the door and then settled back onto his crutches.

He heard small footsteps coming to the door and it opened, Nagato looking up at him with eyes that were very different from the ones he'd sported in the market. He knew those eyes: the Rinnegan. He kept his surprise in check, since he'd heard from Utena that the boy wore contacts, so it shouldn't be a surprise that it was to hide such a powerful dojutsu. He smiled and greeted, "Hello, is your mother at home?"

Nagato looked him up and down before zeroing in on his hitae-ate. He nodded and opened the door wider. "Come in, you can wait in the foyer while I get Oka-san."

He nodded and got in with a little difficulty, pushing the door closed with one of his crutches. The little boy obviously knew who was an ally and who was an enemy when it came to villages. He pulled his hood off and ran his fingers through his hair. He pulled his cloak off and hung it off his crutch, since his arms were busy, before painfully removing his sandals. He heard people in the other room murmuring quietly and Utena ask, "Who's at the door, Nagato?"

"A guy from Konoha who's asking for you, Oka-san," Nagato answered truthfully.

"Well, it's rude to not greet a guest," she stated and grunted as she got up.

"Careful Utena-chan," Hinata warned, worry saturating her tone.

"I'm okay. I'll be back in a minute."

She appeared from around the corner and greeted, "Hello, Sir. May I help you?"

"Yes, you can. I'm curious about something—"

Utena suddenly put her face right next to his, a look of fierce concentration on her face. "Hmmm…that face, I've seen it somewhere before…"

He blinked, confused, and then remembered that Naruto probably showed her a photo or two at least of him during his Genin days. He just hoped Naruto wouldn't come to finish the job when she revealed his identity.

"Oh yeah! Now I remember! You're Uchiha Sasuke!" She grinned and held out a hand. "It's wonderful to meet you at last! Naruto-kun has told me so many things about you! You were his old teammate when you were Genin, right?"

Sasuke shook her hand and waited for Naruto to come and pound him, but there was merely silence in the other room. He felt better and nervous about it and smiled to hide his apprehension. "I met you earlier, but I guess I was a little worse for wear then."

She covered her mouth in horror as she apologized, "Oh, I'm so sorry, I thought you were a… I'm so sorry!"

He chuckled as he waved his hands to calm her down. "It's all right, everyone probably thought that's what I was. I just wanted to ask you a question. Those children you have, Konan and Fugaku…who's their father?"

She nibbled her lip as she thought about it, her hands fidgeting. She then smiled. "Why don't I introduce him to you? Come with me."

He felt butterflies in his stomach as he followed her down the hall into the large sitting room. He almost fell backwards when Naruto pounced on him, hugging him tight. "So I didn't kill you! You sure are a persistent guy, if you survived all that!"

He smiled a little as his best friend squeezed him. He patted his back awkwardly and looked beyond the blonde hair to see Konan and Fugaku playing on the floor and Nagato sharpening some kunai far enough away so his younger siblings couldn't just grab them. Hinata had a happy smile on her face for her husband and the Suna siblings sat on the long couch on the far wall, their eyes wary as they observed his condition. Gaara was thorough as usual, since Naruto was his best friend. Utena settled down next to…

His throat closed up. It couldn't be…it just couldn't! He _knew_ this had to be a trick! But yet, his eye didn't deceive him. Sitting next to the very pregnant woman was his older brother. The man had longer hair over one shoulder, tied in his usual loose ponytail. He wore a black kimono and the lines that had always been under his eyes were gone, in fact he looked rather peaceful. But something was wrong as he turned his head towards him. His eyes didn't move at all.

"Hello, Otouto. It's been a while since we last saw each other."

"Aniki…HOW?!"

"Come here, so I can touch you and you don't have to scream."

Naruto let him go and patted his back hard. "Good to have you back, Sasuke."

"Thanks, Naruto."

He went over to his brother and Itachi stood, his hands coming up to his face, feeling every feature and his fingers lingering on the claw scars. "So it's true Naruto did a number on you. That leg of yours must be bothering you quite a bit." He turned towards Utena. "Would you move over some so Sasuke can sit down?"

"Sure," she replied, scooting over as the eldest Uchiha sat down next to her and placed a hand on the space next to him.

Sasuke sat down and stared at his brother. He looked more at peace than he'd ever seen him, even during his childhood. "Aniki, I'm sorry—"

"Don't be. I'm sure you heard about me from Madara, which is why you didn't return to Konohagakure no Sato after my 'death'. The genocide was a countermeasure to avoid a civil war, and I was the one I had to carry it out. I am not the sadistic murderer you thought I was, but if I had let on that I was helping you become strong, you wouldn't have worked as hard as you did. But no one is invincible, even ninjas such as us."

"Why did you fake your death?"

"I knew that once my eyesight failed, I had a choice: to let myself get killed by you and waste my life, or fake my death and live on without having to fight as a ninja any further. I chose the latter and I've found that it was the best choice I've made in my whole life. I have a loving wife, three children with another on the way, a peaceful life, and a circle of friends who don't judge me for the past. Now I have you, my younger brother, back in my life. I heard you met the children already, so you should be formally introduced."

He sat up and called, "Konan, Fugaku, Nagato, come here."

The three came over right away, Fugaku sucking on his pinky as he looked at his father lovingly. Itachi patted each head before gesturing to Sasuke. "Children, this is your uncle, Sasuke."

Konan spoke first, pointing at Sasuke's eye. "Sasuke-ojii-san's eye is hurt! Oka-chan, make it better!"

Utena giggled as she placed a hand on her daughter's head. "Konan, it's rude to point, and I can't heal everything, that extent of damage is permanent."

Nagato pointed out, "But what about his leg? Is that too much?"

Utena got up and looked at Sasuke for his permission and he nodded. She unwrapped the bandages and grimaced at the extent of the damage. Konan and Fugaku began sobbing in despair at their uncle's terrible wounds, Itachi picking them up and rubbing their backs to soothe.

"Well…this amount of damage will take time to heal, even with a medical ninja like me. Hinata, can you look at these wounds for me for any foreign chakra?"

The now-Uzumaki woman came over and used her Byakugan to look at the entirety of the leg. She bit her lip as she reported, "The Kyubi's chakra has completely taken over the leg and is most prominent in the wounds. Naruto, can you withdraw the chakra somehow? If not, his leg might take forever to heal, or not heal at all."

Naruto came over and winced. "Ouch, I didn't know the extent of the damage was this bad, I'm sorry."

Sasuke shook his head. "You did what you had to to beat me, but not kill me. Once I was crippled enough that I couldn't really move, you dealt with Madara. Your mercy is why I'm here today."

Naruto placed his hands on his friend's leg and a look of complete concentration came to his face as Sasuke felt the pain slowly receding out of his limb. Hinata nodded as her husband slowly worked.

"Good, the chakra is almost all out…"

Naruto took his hands away when he was done, the sickly limb gaining most of its original color with the lack of foreign chakra. "That ought to make things easier to heal."

Utena nodded her thanks and began to heal the gashes, the wounds closing up quickly. Nagato watched with curious eyes as Konan and Fugaku cheered. Sasuke's pale face relaxed as the pain withdrew, and when the healing was done, he flexed his leg, testing its mobility. He nodded and bowed to her. "Thank you for this, Utena-san."

When he slid his pant leg back down, Konan climbed out of her father's arms and sat on her uncle's lap. "I like Sasuke-ojii-san. You a nice person, like Otou-chan."

Sasuke rubbed a hand through her hair and smiled. "Thanks, Hime-chan."

She tilted her head. " 'Hime'?"

He nodded. "It means princess, which makes you very special."

She grinned and hugged him. "I like 'Hime-chan'!"

Itachi and Utena smiled at the sight of their daughter instantly bonding with her uncle. She might act silly most of the time, but she was a good judge of character, so if she trusted Sasuke, it meant he'd come back to the path of good.

* * *

And...that's the end!

*wails in agony* I can't believe it's over! So many people liked it, and whatever shall I post next?!

Well... *wipes tears from eyes* ...the most I can do now is wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Also, for the last time...

Please review!


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